Hogwarts: A history without Voldemort
by kathalynn
Summary: Dumbledore found Tom Riddle at the orphanage at a much younger age and got the poor child something he really needed; Therapy and a loving family. Now in a wizarding world where Voldemort never happened we follow an Australian witch as she has her own Hogwarts adventures, making friends and accidentally starting a prank war with a pair of Red haired twins...
1. Hello Mr Owl

Hogwarts: A new history.

Our story follows Merida Zarai, a twelve year old girl staring at an owl. Merida reached out and took the letter from the tawny bird who rubbed its head against her hand happily as she read the letter calmly.  
Once she had finished the letter she gave the bird an Owl treat and it flew away.

Merida walked out of her room to find her parents in the study, she knocked on the large oak doors to get their attention.  
Merida's father was a tallish man standing at around six foot and his wide shoulders are what her mother jokes drew her to him. He had combed back slightly wavy salt and pepper hair which matched his neatly groomed beard, still managing to look grizzled. He had eyes so dark it was hard to see the difference between pupil and iris.  
Those eyes turned to her now from where they'd been focused on Merida's Mother.  
Merida's mother was a shapely woman of average height with wavy hair that came to just below her shoulder blades. It was gold today.  
"Rachel," Merida's father said, a smile colouring his tone. "Someone has come to tell us something."

Rachel turned to see her daughter standing in the doorway. "I do believe we have a most important visitor indeed, Zane," Rachel played along.  
Merida smiled at her parents' antics and waved her letter around, "My Hogwarts acceptance letter came," She announced.

Her parents smiled back at her before Zane spoke. "So, shall we nip off to the Mad Market to get all the gear you'll need for Hogwarts?" he asked with a chuckle. The Mad Market was the Australian magical shopping mall, similar to what the U.K wizards' Diagon alley.  
Merida Zarai was born into a 'Pureblood' Australian wizarding family and was attending Hogwarts, which was in another hemisphere, because her family was originally from Britain and had always gone there.

Merdia grinned and nodded. "Yeah! I love the Mad Market!" she bounced in her enthusiasm as she took off back to her room to get ready to go. After putting on her shoes Merida checked herself in the mirror. She was about average height for her age and had long legs and graceful arms. She wasn't chubby as she liked to muck about and fly on her broom as much as she could. She had a natural toffee tone to her skin and her father's black eyes, her hair came down to her shoulders and was wavy. It was also royal blue, streaked through with lighter blues, whites and blacks so it looked a little like the ocean. Merida focused, narrowing her eyes in concentration until her long lashes blurred everything and her hair curled even more, darkening until it looked like the sea caught in a storm.  
Merida was a Metamorphmagus just like her mother had and among the other things she had inherited from her family it was the most obvious. Thus satisfied with her appearance and her black Lolita dress she skipped downstairs to meet her parent's in the lobby by the fireplace.

Her father was dressed in a navy pinstripe three piece suit without the jacket and the sleeves of the baby blue shirt rolled up, the collar open and the tie gone. Her mother was dressed in a white sundress with sunflowers printed on it and a full petticoat under the swing skirt with black pumps.  
"It's too hot to travel by floo, so it'll be side-along apparition for you today," Her Dad's gravelly baritone told her as he held his well-muscled arm out like a gentleman.  
Merida rolled her eyes and gripped her Dad's forearm. The unpleasant sensation of being squeezed through a too-tight tube soon followed as they apperated to the Mad Market.

The Market truly lived up to its name, there were crazy sights and delights anywhere you looked. People of every description were moving everywhere. Merida took her Dad's hand so as not to be lost in the throng as they moved off, "So, what shall we get first?"

Merida pulled out the list of things she'd need for school:

"Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry  
Uniform  
First year students will require:  
Three sets of School Robes  
One pointed black hat for day wear  
One pair of protective gloves (Dragon hide or similar)  
One winter cloak (Black, Silver fastenings)  
Please note that all pupil's clothes should carry nametags 

Set Books  
All students should have a copy of each of the following  
The Standard book of spells (grade 1) by Miranda Goshawk  
A History of Magic by Bathilda Bagshot  
Magical Theory by Adalbert Waffling  
A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration by Emeric Switch  
One thousand Herbs and Magical Fungi by Phyllidia Spore  
Magical Drafts and Potions by Arsenius Jigger  
Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them by Newt Scamander  
The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self Protection by Quentin Tremble

Other Equipment:

1 Wand  
1 cauldron (pewter, standard size 2)  
1 set glass or crystal phials  
1 telescope  
1 set brass scales

Students may also bring and owl OR a cat OR a toad

PARENTS ARE REMINDED THAT FIRST-YEARS ARE NOT ALLOWED THEIR OWN BROOMSTICKS"

"Uniforms first," Merida decided. "They'll take a while to make after my measurements are taken." Zane nodded and led the way to Madame Katlynn's Custom clothing for all Occasions and Whims. Merida grinned and darted in ahead of her parents, the classic shop doorbell chiming as she pushed open the door.  
"Madame Katlynn?!" she called as she looked around the store, there was a raised space surrounded by mirrors for measurements and fittings, a display of different fashions in the bay window and change rooms off down a side corridor. Merida was a frequent visitor to Madame Katlynn's so she hugged the Madame in greeting when she came out from the workshop out back.  
"Merida, my favourite little fashionista!" She cooed as she hugged Merida. "What brings you to my boutique today?" she asked as she moved to greet Merida's parents.  
"I got my Hogwarts letter today~!" Merida cheered as if that was answer enough, which it was.  
"Congratulations love, so I take it you've come to me for your uniform?" Merida nodded and showed Madame Katlynn the Uniform list. Madame Katlynn took notes with a phoenix quill pen, "Alright, I'll have all that for you in about five hours, I have your measurements so all you need to do is come by later to pay and pick them up," She explained, her demeanour suddenly all business.

Not bothered by the Madame's sudden change Merida waved and left the shop, followed by her parents.  
"Where to now, sweetheart?" Her mother asked. Merida checked the list again.

"Ummm… I think I'll get my wand next," she decided, looking up at her parents. They nodded and smiled as her Mum took her hand and led the way to a little shop tucked away between Mirium's Magical photos and Dynic's book store. It was a little well-kept store with a single wand in the window display. It had no signs or advertising just a single name over the door, Kuzarra's.  
Merida had been dreaming of coming in here, of finally getting her own wand. She took a breath as she pulled open the door, the bell jingling as she did, and went in.  
Kuzarra's looked a bit like what her Papa told her Ollivander's looked like, rows and rows of stacks of wand boxes stretching on into infinity but it wasn't as haphazard or dark, or dusty, as Ollivander's. Kuzarra was as odd as her Papa had described Mr. Ollivander. She was a very tall woman with curves and very defined muscles. She had dead straight white hair that was cut short in a pixie style just above the tops of her pointed ears, it contrasted greatly with her coffee coloured skin which threw into greater light her icy, pale blue eyes. One eye had a lace like scarring around it, starting just below the temple and wrapping around her brow ridge until just before her nose. She was wearing a silver crop top, matching harem pants that tied about her hips with a blue sash. Chains hung with charms were draped about her waits and hips and glinted along with the other jewellery that was all about her body.

Merida realised she had been staring when Kuzarra cleared her throat gently. Merida blushed and Kuzarra smiled before speaking. "So I take it you're here for your little one?" she asked, her voice having an odd musical quality to it.  
Merida's parents nodded and Kuzarra looked down at her. "Which is your wand hand, child?" she asked kindly. Merida wordlessly held out her left hand and Kuzarra set about measuring things as she knelt in front of Merida. Suddenly Kuzzara stopped and flicked her eyes to her parents. "Where is this one's twin? To be a mirror child, there has to be the other side of the mirror…" she asked softly, as if she knows what happened.  
"Her twin was killed, a few years ago… will Merida being a mirror child be a problem?" her mum asked. A mirror child usually only happens with identical twins when one of the twin's internal organs will grow the opposite way around. With the human body being mostly symmetrical, this isn't really a problem.  
Kuzarra shook her head, "Not a big problem but her magic is mirrored too, it will take a special wand to choose her." Merida was a little annoyed at the adults talking over her head, but was used to it so didn't let it bother her. After a few more measurements, Kuzarra stood back up and moved through the stacks, carefully selecting wand boxes before returning to the front counter with a little over a dozen.

"Let's try this first; 30 centimetres, flexible, Ash and unicorn hair" she said as she handed the wand to Merida, who gave it a flick once she had it, and it vibrated out of her hand.  
"Not that one then," Zane commented from where he and Rachel were seated on a couch.  
"Indeed," Kuzarra said stoically as she put that wand away and got out another. "This one is 35 cm, whippy, oak and Kelpie hair," she said as she handed it over, only to snatch it out of Merida's hand before she could swish it. "Definitely not that then," Kuzarra muttered as she picked out the next wand. Eleven wands later Merida was still wandless when Kuzarra happily handed her the next one, "This one is 32 cm, unyielding, Australian Hardwood and Basilisk fang." The wand was beautiful, long and slender with a snake intricately carved into the polished handle. Merida felt warmth spread up from her fingers when she took the wand and green and gold sparks shot from the end when she waved it about. "The Basilisk fang in that wand came from one of the Australian Basilisks near Alice Springs, as did the wood to make it," Kuzarra explained, smiling, as she put away the discarded wands.  
"That'll be 10 galleons," she said as she slid what looked like a tiny leather harness across the counter to Merida. "Five galleon for the wand and five for the wand holster."  
They left to go next door to collect the books Merida would need before they went to the apothecary's to collect some potion's ingredients. Merida already had a cauldron, brass scales, crystal phials and a telescope and she also already had a familiar. Her familiar was a wedge tail eagle, Zarola. She'd saved her eagle when it was just a baby. Poachers had gotten her mum and Merida had rescued the fledgling, hand feeding her and cleaning her until Zarola could look after herself. Zarola always stayed with Merida and was very protective of her 'Mum.'

"We just need to go pick up my uniforms now," Merida said after she checked her list again. Rachel nodded as she took her daughter's hand as they moved through the massive crowd. Zane following along behind, carrying the bag of books and silently thanking whoever invented featherweight charms. Zane wasn't weak, he was quite well built and his job as a wrangler kept him fit, but lugging school books around after his daughter as they went shopping was not high on his to-do list.

After picking up and paying for Merida's uniforms they all apparated home again and Merida excitedly took all her things to her room to organize everything she'd be taking with her to Hogwarts. She pulled out her black trunk with silver locks and tapped it seven times in a particular rhythm. The trunk opened itself after an audible click and revealed a sectioned inside. In one of the compartments went all of the clothes and shoes Merida was taking with her. In another went all of her personal books. In a third went her cauldron, potions ingredients and other such paraphernalia. In a slender compartment went her telescope. In one of the shallower compartments went her schoolbag and all her books, parchment, ink, quills and other such things. In the final compartment went all the other junk she wanted to take with her, including a large stock of tender jerky bits for Zarola.

Merida spent the rest of the day writing a letter to her brother, Lucas, telling him how excited she was and how much she was looking forward to going to Hogwarts with him next year. Her brother was seventeen and would be graduating next year. Her brother was in Ravenclaw and had excelled in spells and potions that blew things up or turned into fireworks or made any kind of spectacular kerfuffle. He had even created some of his own. It was his intellectual passion but was mostly just one of his hobbies, the Australian Ministry of Magic had an eye on him for their Department of Experimental Magics.

Lucas was off visiting his friend Jeremy before start of term. Jeremy's parents were Wizens (non-magical people) who did the leatherwork for most charm smiths. Due to the vast amount of magic in Australia most people were born with a least a spark of magic so it wasn't worth the effort of keeping the magical community a secret so basically it was a nation's secret from the rest of the world. Most Australians found it hilarious keeping the 'secret' from the tourists, the policy was to hide the truth in audacity and it worked as people just brushed off the strangeness as 'typically Australian.'

Merida stroked Zarola's feathers lovingly as she slipped the letter into the tube holstered onto her back. Zarola chirping as she leaned into the touch. Merida pushed open the balcony doors of her third story window and let Zarola fly out. Merida's house was styled after a Victorian town house. The first floor held the kitchen, dining room, lounge and games room. The second floor held the master bedroom and ensuite bathroom with the Library and attached study sharing the floor. Third floor was Merida, Lucas and 2 spare bedrooms, each with their own attached bathroom. The top floor held a potions lab and storage. The attic had been converted into a forest for the pets.

There were trees and scrub and mice and rats for the owls and Zarola to eat, one particular hollowed tree had been claimed by Lucas's Drop Bear Blinky. After Yorham Gross's cartoon koala Blinky Bill, a mischievous little boy who's penchant for pranks reminded Lucas of Drop Bear behaviour. Drop Bears choose a victim and mark their palm with a scratch. Then they stalk their victim waiting for the perfect opportunity to teleport and drop in on their chosen victim's head. Blinky had decided to stay with Lucas because it decided that it enjoyed his ability to wreak havoc. Drop bears look like regular koalas except their fur is a dark grey with lighter undertones and red eyes.

During the two months before the start of term Merida studied her school books, practising some of the potions and simpler spells. The 'Trace' that the European ministries employ to track underage magic isn't used in the Australian and New Zealand communities mostly because there are so many things that can kill or cause serious injury around, it's highly discouraged in public but not illegal. Merida's favourite subjects were Potions, Herbology, Defence Against the Dark Arts and Transfiguration.

Merida was rather good at Potions if only because of the tutoring she got from her uncle. Technically he was her second cousin but he'd been adopted by Rachel's mother when it was decided his mother couldn't care for him properly. They'd both gone to Hogwarts together, Rachel ending up in Ravenclaw, Merida's uncle ending up in Slytherin and Merida's father, Zane, being in Gryffindor.

Soon September 1st rolled around. Merida was rather excited for her first year at Hogwarts. She'd packed her school books back in her trunk, adding Zarola's stand and accessories into the trunk before locking it up and shrinking it into her pocket.

Merida had decided to wear black and white horizontally striped leggings under a black knee length box pleated skirt which had a white shirt tucked in and a brown leather harness type thing that started as a fingerless glove and seamlessly flowed on to sit on top of her right arm and was slightly padded on the shoulder and held in place with a series of straps for Zarola to sit on.

Merida had braided her mid length hair up into twin braids, today her hair was reminiscent of a skittles packet. She's also chosen a cute pair of pixie boots with one inch heels. A wand holster strapped to her left thigh underneath her skirt held her new wand.

Zarola fluttered over and settled on her padded shoulder. Merlia smiled and skipped downstairs to meet her Parents and brother in the lobby.

Merida would be apparating to Platform 9 ¾ with her Mum and Lucas would be apparating with their Dad.

Merida checked that Zarola had a good grip on her shoulder just as Lucas was checking Blinky's grip on his shoulder before nodding to their parents and they disapperated to the platform with a soft pop.


	2. The Big Red Engine that Could

Taking a breath after the squeezing feeling of apparating Merida smoothed the ruffled feathers of Zarola, who was getting a few curious glances as did Blinky. The older students gave both the Eagle and the Drop Bear a glance before going back to what they were doing. A lot of the first years were staring, never having seen a drop bear or an eagle as large as Zarola.

Most probably had never seen a Wedgie before, Zarola was one of the largest eagle breeds in the world, she was two years old and a mid-brown colour with slightly reddish-brown areas on her head and wings. She was pretty much fully grown at a length of 95cm, her wingspan around double that. A huge bird with large taloned yellow claws sitting on the shoulder of a strange twelve year old. It was bound to draw a few stares.

Lucas spotted some of his friends and waved, heading over to them. Merida hugged her parents before heading over to the train, not noticing her twin shadows.

Finding an empty compartment on the crimson steam train Merida unshrunk her trunk and levitated it up onto the racks above the seats, Zarola settling down on the seat next to her as Merida pulled out a sketch pad and a pencil and started roughly sketching a pixie.

Someone knocked on the compartment door and Merida and Zarola both looked over to the identical ginger boys in the doorway, they were grinning at her and staring at Zarola.

"We wanted to know…" one of them started.

"What kind of bird," The other continued.

"Got that big." They finished in unison.

Merida gave them a once over; red hair, freckles, pre-owned robes. She smiled sweetly at them, "Zarola is a Wedge tailed eagle, and they're native to Australia."

She tilted her head curiously at them, "Would you two happen to be Weasleys?" she asked innocently.

They looked at each other before looking at her suspiciously, "Yes," they answered slowly.

"Why?" one of them asked.

Merida grinned as she answered, "My Aunt was a Weasley."

They shared a glance before entering the compartment and sitting opposite her.

"Do tell," they asked as one.

Merida smirked before answering, putting her sketch down next to her, "Well, Marigold Weasley met Jack Zarai at Hogwarts. Jack Zarai was brothers with Zane Zarai, my Dad thus making us distant cousins… Uncle Jack died a while ago but Aunty Marigold visits quite a lot." She finished talking and fixed the twins with a stare.

"So, I'm Merida Zarai, what are your names?" she asked politely.

The twins grinned, the one on the right saying, "I'm Fred."

The other introduced himself, "and I'm George."

They stood up together and gave mock bows, "And now we must leave you, our friend Lee has a new pet we wish to see…" and with that they linked arms and swept out of the compartments.

A couple hours later Merida was startled awake by someone thumping on the compartment door. She jerked upright, unsettling Zarola who was nesting up in the bag racks where she had moved to when Merida had started dropping off as the time difference had started affecting her. She checked her watch, it was 12 o'clock by her time. Blearily she slid open the door, blinking owlishly at the tuft of brown frizz in front of her. The fuzzy monster in front of her cleared its throat self-importantly.

Merida forced herself to focus, "Yes?" she yawned, covering her mouth with her hand.

Her eyes cleared and she saw the tuft was actually a mane of brown frizzy hair attached to a bookish looking girl with buck teeth, still not one to be purposefully rude Merida apologised.

"Sorry, you guys woke me, jet lag…" Merida frowned as what she said registered and she finally consciously registered the dark haired boy hiding behind the nerdish girl. He had wide, nervous eyes and a round face from all the puppy fat.

Merida smiled kindly, "Now that I'm mostly awake, hello, how can I help you?" she asked sweetly.

"Have you seen a toad? Neville's lost his," The bushy haired girl asked bluntly, if a little rudely.

"Been asking that a lot, have you?" Merida asked, a little amused, "If how directly you asked is anything to go by…" She directed her question at the officious girl in front of her who seemed to take a little offence at the query.

Merida turned her attention to the boy in question, "I'm sorry Neville, I haven't seen your toad but I shall keep an eye out for it… have you tried the bathrooms? I find that they like to hang out in toilets because it's cool and moist," she suggested helpfully. He nodded to show he'd heard.

Merida returned her attention back to the bushy haired girl, "It's rather nice of you to help Neville like you are, I didn't get your name, I'm Merida," She introduced herself as she held out her right hand to her, the leather harness still in place.

The girl blinked rather rapidly at the leatherwear, surprised to find a young girl wearing such a thing before cautiously taking the hand, "Hermione Granger," she introduced before asking rather rudely, "What's the leather thing for?"

Neville squeaked, as if he felt Hermione shouldn't have asked like that but was too scared of the self-righteous girl to say anything. Neville seemed rather shy so the girl's brusque nature intimated him.

Merida smiled at him and was surprised when he bolstered enough courage to ask, "D-did you have to ask it like that?"

Merida grinned at him, "Why don't you try looking in the bathrooms for your toad while Hermione and I check the compartments?" She asked overtop of Hermione's indignant spluttering. Neville nodded graciously and took off before Hermione could object.

Merida turned back to Hermione who had stopped spluttering and was red-cheeked glaring at Merida.

"To answer your question, the 'leather thing' is for my eagle, so Zarola's talons don't stab me," Merida answered with a genuine smile before giving a half whistle, Zarola half gliding half hopping down off the luggage rack to land on her shoulder.

Hermione took a step back in shock, "How are they letting you take a huge bird like that to school?!" She shrieked.

Merida stroked Zarola's head and told her to hop back up on the luggage rack before stepping out of the compartment and shutting it, locking it with a simple spell.

"Zarola is my familiar, similar to an owl but way better, she's also very intelligent and extremely well trained, not to mention she'll help the with rabbit infestations my brother's been telling me about," Merida said firmly, staring at Hermione with a flat glare.

"Now, why don't you get over your bias and we go look for a toad like we promised Neville we would?" Merida asked sweetly before sweeping over to the next compartment, who had opened the door and were staring unashamedly at the two first years, one who had quite calmly shot down the other one.

The rainbow haired girl turned to the third years watching her and asked with a smile, "If it's not a bother, could you tell me if any of you have seen a toad on the train, please?"

The third years were quite happy with how polite the first year talking to them was and answered quite happily that 'no they hadn't seen it but to go ask an older student or a prefect, they would be able to help better.' Merida thanked them kindly before curtseying and heading a little further down the train. She found a blond haired boy in one compartment who was being flanked by two boys who looked like baby troll bookends, however when questioned politely he told her quite nicely that there were some Slytherin fifth years in the next compartment over.

Merida thanked him sweetly with a curtsey before knocking politely on the door, which was opened by a tall boy with black hair and an almost mono-brow which Merida focused on not staring at as she asked as sweetly and politely as she could.

"I'm sorry for bothering you but one of the new boys has lost his toad and some of the second years said to ask a fifth year as they'd be the best bet to find it because they know so many more advanced spells." She said with her best subtle puppy worship eyes.

The boy practically preened under the subtle flattery as he answered, "Of course I'll do my best to help," he promised, just as Neville found Merida again.

"Merida! I couldn't find it where you suggested… I don't know what to do…" Merida calmed him down with a hand on his arm, "It's okay, Neville, this lovely upper year has very kindly promised to help."

Merida turned back to look up at the fifth year boy who was blushing slightly under the praise.

"Yeah," He said gruffly as he pulled out his wand, "What's your toad's name?" he asked, calming a little as he had something to focus on.

"Trevor, sir," Neville said meekly as he looked on with hopeful eyes.

The fifth year nodded and flicked his wand at himself with a precise movement while incanting, "Accio Trevor."

A minute or so later a fat toad came zooming through the air towards them. Neville squeaked and ducked while Merida deftly caught the thing with her gloved hand before handing it over to Neville.

"Try not to lose him again, please Neville," She told him with a smile before looking up at the fifth year boy.

"That was amazing, thank you so much!" She gushed before curtseying and rushing off to where Hermione was watching from.

"See? Even if you're tired of asking the same question it's always best to stay polite, people respond to it better," Merida told her before half bowing and heading back to her compartment.

She found a tallish read haired boy and another slightly shorter boy with black, messy waiting outside it.

"Can I help you?" she asked as she unlocked the door with a spell and slid it open, reaching up to pet Zarola who had been waiting patiently for her return.

"So it's true you have an eagle, then," The read haired boy spoke up from the doorway.

Merida sat down and Zarola hopped down next to her as she yawned.

"Sorry about that, time difference is getting to me, come in," she waved the pair in and they sat down across form her.

"So they eagle really is yours," The one with black hair and startling green eyes asked, awed by the sight of the very large bird nuzzling against Merida's side.

Merida smiled quite smugly, "Yes, Zarola is mine, who are you two and why are you here?" she asked, quite amused.

The read haired boy blushed, clashing horribly with his hair while the other boy giggled at his friend.

"I'm Harry Potter and he's Ron Weasley," The black haired boy, now known as Harry Potter introduced for his friend.

Merida smiled as she gently stroked her eagle's feathers. "So, are you related to a set of Weasley twins that visited me earlier?" She asked.

Ron nodded and Merida yawned again, rubbing her eye.

"That makes you my distant cousin, I'm Merida Zarai, nice to meet you two," she said, holding her gloved hand out to the two boys as she used her other hand to cover another yawn. They shook her hand briefly before Harry spoke.

"Are you okay? You're yawning a lot," He questioned curiously, a small smile on his face.

Merida nodded, "Yeah… the time difference is messing with me, normally it's about…" she checked her watch, "1:30 in the morning at home, not late afternoon so I'm just a little sleepy," she explained.

The boys looked a little shocked, "Where are you from?" Ron asked.

"Australia," Merida said before stifling another yawn.

The other two looked a little stunned before Harry asked, "Doesn't Australia have its own school?"

Merida nodded as she snuggled into the corner by the window, drawing her feet up onto the seat as Zarola settled on top of them.

"Yes, it's called Bageeyn Academy, Bageeyn being the Wiradjuri word for Magic," Merida told them as she leant her head against the window.

"Wirra-judy?" Ron asked, screwing up his face as he tried to pronounce the word.

"Wiradjuri," Merida corrected kindly, "It's the name of the particular tribe of aboriginals and whose land the Academy is built on, it's also the name of their particular dialect…" Merida explained, sleepily, her eyes barely staying open.

Harry elbowed Ron and stood up, "Well, we can see that you're tired so we'll leave you be," he said politely, though with a bit of a smirk.

He dragged a quietly protesting Ron out of the compartment as Merida waved them off. The slid the door shut behind them and Merida settled down on the seat again and promptly dropped off to sleep.

Two and a half hours later she found herself being gently shaken awake, "Miss? Miss! You need to wake up! The train will be stopping soon," A cultured British voice called. Merida slowly blinked her large black eyes open and looked up at the neatly groomed blonde boy from earlier. Her hair unconsciously shifted to match his hair colour as she stared sleepily into his husky blue eyes.

She shifted and smiled, "Pretty…" she mumbled as she slowly sat up in a daze, yawning as she stretched. Then she blinked as her brain caught up and she blushed to match the blinking boy across from her as the two book ends smirked.

"I'm sorry," She said quickly, her blush fading, "Thank you for waking me."

The boy cleared his throat as his blush faded and he said, "You're welcome."

Merida smiled brightly as she sat up properly, "I'm Merida, pleased to meet you," she said happily as she held out her left hand. The boy held it and kissed the back of it, making Merida giggle.

"Draco Malfoy," he introduced himself as he gracefully let her hand go.

"What…" He started before he stopped and blushed, "What did you mean by 'pretty'?" he asked, a little unsure if he wanted to know.

"You're eyes, they're pretty," Merida answered unabashed.

Draco flushed brining a nice pink tinge to his pale cheeks before he coughed and said imperiously, to cover his embarrassment, "You should change into your uniform before we arrive, you leave your trunk here."

Merida smiled before gesturing at the door, "Would you mind standing guard for me while I change?" she asked with a grin.

This time all three boys blushed as they realised the connotations of what she said and quickly vacated the compartment. They did, however, quite graciously stand guard outside of her door as she changed into the uniform. Strapping Zarola's armguard on over top of the school's shirt and settling the cloak around her shoulders.

She tapped on the glass of the door and let the boys back in.

She had changed into the long-sleeved white dress shirt, pinstriped black waistcoat with the school's crest on it. The colourless striped tie was knotted loosely around her neck under her neatly folded collar. The black cloak obscured the leather armguard and the hood had a silver embroidered trim that matched the ornate silver fastening. For her choice of black bottoms she had gone with a knee-length catholic school girls' skirt, white tights and her one inch heeled pixie boots.

She'd also fixed her bed hair back into two neat, still blonde, plaited pigtails.

"Thank you, gentlemen, please have a seat," She said, waving her hand at the opposite seat while petting Zarola, who had had hopped down from the baggage rack to sit next to Merida.

The boys stared at the eagle until Draco decided to asked, "Just what kind of bird is that?" He asked, hiding his nerves behind a mask of superiority.

Merida grinned, not bothered in the least. "Zarola is a Wedge tailed Eagle, They're native to Australia," She told the boys with a smile, fondly petting her eagle as Zarola chirruped and leant into the touch.

"She keeps the number of rabbits and foxes down at home as a bonus too," She added with a grin.

The boys were suitably impressed, bookend on the left was about to say something when the train pulled into the station and a whistle sounded.

Draco stood and offered his hand, the bookends rising with him.

Merida smiled and took the hand, letting Draco 'help' her to her feet. Merida turned and put her arm out for Zarola to step up on to.

The boys had already exited and Draco was holding the door for her. She smiled at him and stepped out, holding her arm so that the large bird was sort of cradled to her chest.

"Thank you, kind Sir," She grinned as she walked past Draco and waited for him to fall into step next to her, the bookends keeping most of the flood away from them.

Draco smiled slightly, as if unused to so much praise from a stranger or anyone really, "You're welcome," he said softly.

Once they got off the train, Merida bounced her arm slowly before helping Zarola launch herself into the air, causing nearby first years to shriek as the large bird took off. "Go to the Owlery for now, find me tomorrow," She told the bird, who circled her once before winging away towards the shadow of the castle.

"Will she be okay?" Draco asked, worried the eagle wouldn't know the way.

Merida nodded, "Yeah, she's been here before to bring mail to Lucas… My older brother," she added in response to Draco's curious look. Draco was about to answer her when a loud baritone bellowed out, "First years! First years over this way!"

They turned their heads to look in the voice's direction to see a huge man with a wild head of black hair, a big neatly groomed beard and warm beetle like eyes. He was wearing a large fur coat which merely added to his bulk. The man was waving his wand to create a trail of bright sparkles.

Merida and Draco exchanged a look before heading over to the 9 foot bear of a man.

"That must be Professor Hagrid, the Care of Magical Creatures teacher," Merida said, thinking back about her brother's letter's talking about the man. "Apparently he's also the 'Keeper of Keys and Grounds at Hogwarts' is half giant and has a tamed Acromantula living in the forbidden forest by his house," She added to the mildly interested Draco who asked, "I thought giants were rather dangerous creatures," He asked, a parroted drawl in his voice.

"Half giant, Draco, some of the size and strengths but mostly human," Merida said softly as she linked her arm with his. Draco blushed but kept his cool as he shifted his arm to the proper gentlemanly position, it showed he'd been brought up in a traditional pureblood family as they taught their children social etiquette. Merida had gone through this training as well.

They strolled over to the little jetty Professor Hagrid was standing near, silently giggling at the looks they were getting from the other first years. Ron in particular was torn between blushing and glaring.

Merida actually giggled out loud at the attempted death glare the snobby girl, Hermione, was sending her.

"That girl has a chip on her shoulder the size of Uluru," Merida whispered to Draco who looked at her in bemusement. He opened his mouth but was cut off by the booming voice of their Professor calling out, "Four to a boat!"

The quartet quickly found an empty boat and The Bookends got in first, held it steady for Draco and he helped Merida in in turn.

Now settled in the little wooden boat they watched as Professor Hagrid, Who had a boat to himself, tapped the side of it with his wand. The entire fleet of boats untied themselves from the jetty and moved across the black lake.

**A/N The character's might be a little OOC as Voldemort's machinations never happened, so Hagrid was never expelled and got a proper education, The Malfoys are still very proper and Holier-than-thou but the level isn't as extreme, Harry grew up with his parents and isn't famous, Neville is very shy (especially around demanding females) but is no longer anxious about everything and Hermoine is still out to prove how good she is even if she was born from Muggles (Wizens to Merida) there may be slight Hermione bashing until she chills and pulls the stick out of her arse.**


	3. A Sorting we will go

They didn't talk much as they glided across the still lake, the reflected stars rippling as the boat disturbed the still surface.

Merida enjoyed the view but was mostly glad it wasn't raining, that would suck. It was right at the middle of the lake that there was a surge beneath the surface which had Merida leaning back from the edge of the boat just as several tentacles broke the surface of the water. She'd leant back to avoid the slight splashes of cold water but had no qualms about petting the proffered limb when it began to explore the boat. Even though Draco had paled even further than his natural tone.

As the boats continued to glide they had to say goodbye to the giant squid who waved before returning its limbs to the depths of the lake. Draco and the bookends were relieved while Merida was slightly sad. It didn't take much longer for them to reach the curtain of ivy that hid the cavern and into some sort of underground harbour. The boats beaching themselves and everyone got out onto the rocks and pebbles. The two bookends got out first and helped the smaller Draco out who, in turn, helped Merida out.

There was a set of stairs and a massive doorway elegantly carved out of the bedrock. The oak and metal double doors were rather impressive and the booming knocks echoed through the cavern as Professor Hagrid knocked on them. The doors were opened by a stern looking witch in bottle green, dress like, robes. Her black hair was pulled up into a bun and she had a brooch of some kind at her throat which moved as she spoke.

"Ah, Hagrid, I take it your trip across the loch was uneventful?" her voice had a Scottish brogue to it. "The giant squid came up to say hello but that's normal," Professor Hagrid answered.  
"Well come on in then," The stern looking woman said as she opened the doors fully. The group of first years swarmed up the stairs and into the entrance hall. The entrance hall was huge with vaulted ceilings lit with flaming torches that reflected prettily on the magnificent marble staircase.

The large double doorway off to the right muffled the sounds of hundreds of voices which is where Merida knew the Great hall was but the stern witch led them into a small empty chamber off the hall.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," She greeted them calmly, "I am Professor McGonagall and the start-of-term banquet will start soon but before that you all must be sorted into your houses." Merida zoned out a little because she knew all about the house system. The four houses were Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, Slytherin and Hufflepuff. A lot of the European wizarding families put a lot of stock into what house you were sorted into, Merida and her family couldn't give two figs about it. Your house was merely the group of people you would be taking classes with, bunking in dorms with and spending most of your time with. Do something good you get 'house points' whereas if you stuff up you lose points. The house with the most points at the end of the year wins.

Merida came back to earth when Professor McGonagall said, "The sorting ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the entire school so I suggest you neaten yourselves up," she focused her attention on Neville when she said that, well on his cloak that was fastened under his left ear.

There was the babble of nervous talking as to how exactly they sorted you into your house, it was a school tradition not to tell anything to younger siblings so it would remain a surprise. Lucas had dropped the hint that you barely did anything and took 5 minutes tops so Merida was calm as she stepped over to help Neville resettle his cloak around his shoulders correctly. He thanked her with a smile and she replied with a bright one of her own before flitting off to tell Ron that he had a smudge of dirt on his nose. She used a damp cloth to rub it off before fixing his laughing friends hair, effectively shutting him up before she wandered back over to Draco and the bookends.

Draco himself was impeccable but the bookends were a little messy. Merida sighed as she reached up and fixed one of the boy's collars and fixed a twist in his cloak before fixing the other boy's tie.  
"You know," Merida said thoughtfully as she stepped back to inspect her corrections and fixing the collar of the second boy, "I don't know your names," she told them.

They both looked to Draco, who had been looking on in amusement as Merida fussed, and Draco spoke for the two of them. It seemed they preferred not to speak if they could avoid it. "The taller one on the left with brown curly hair is Gregory Goyle and the shorter one on the right with short black hair is Vincent Crabbe," Draco told her. Merida was just about to say something when one of the other first years screamed.

Through the back wall came about twenty ghosts, they were chatting amongst themselves and barely noticed the first years. A rather fat ghost chortled and happily announced that he hoped to see us in Hufflepuff.  
"Not on your un-life," Merida muttered, apparently just loud enough for the boys to hear as they snickered.  
Hufflepuff was the one house that Merida didn't want to get placed in.

Finally, after the ghosts had left, Professor McGonagall came to take them to be sorted. She got them to form up into one line and led them out into the Great Hall. Merida was behind Neville and in front of Draco, with Crabbe then Goyle behind him.

Merida ignored nearly everything in favour of staring up at the enchanted ceiling, it was quite incredible. Merida could hear the Nerdling Hermione obnoxiously inform anyone within hearing range that 'it's not really the night's sky it's just bewitched to look like the sky outside, I read about it in _Hogwarts: A history._' Merida sighed, "Thank you for taking all the wonder from it," She said sarcastically as Draco sniggered behind her.

Professor McGonagall led them up to the front of the hall and had them turn to face the students. She placed a four legged stool down in front of them and on top of the stool went a traditional pointed wizard's hat. It was patched, frayed and stained with age. Merida stared at it incredulously until it twitched, then a rip opened near the brim of the hat like a mouth and the hat began to sing:

_Oh you may not think I'm pretty,_

_But don't judge on what you see,_

_I'll eat myself if you can find_

_A smarter hat than me._

_You can keep your bowlers black,_

_Your top hats sleek and tall,_

_For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat_

_And I can cap them all._

_There's nothing hidden in your head_

_The Sorting Hat can't see,_

_So try me on and I will tell you_

_Where you ought to be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor,_

_Where dwell the brave at heart,_

_Their daring, nerve, and chivalry_

_Set Gryffindors apart;_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff,_

_Where they are just and loyal,_

_Those patient Hufflepuffs are true_

_And unafraid of toil;_

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,_

_if you've a ready mind,_

_Where those of wit and learning,_

_Will always find their kind;_

_Or perhaps in Slytherin_

_You'll make your real friends,_

_Those cunning folks use any means_

_To achieve their ends._

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!_

_And don't get in a flap!_

_You're in safe hands (though I have none)_

_For I'm a Thinking Cap! _

"So we're to be sorted by a singing hat," Draco drawled from Merida's left. "Yeah, a tone deaf one," was Merida's quick reply which had Draco smirking and even got a smile out of Neville who was to her right.  
Professor McGonagall stepped forward with a long scroll.

"When I call your name you will sit on the stool and put on the hat to be sorted into your houses; Abbot, Hannah!" She called out and a girl with blonde pigtails stepped forward, putting on the hat which fell over her eyes.

After a moment the hat roared out, "HUFFLEPUFF!" The long table on the far right with a blue motif burst into applause and the relieved Hannah went off to join them.

Merida spaced out and only payed attention when, "Crabbe, Vincent!" was called. She applauded as he was sorted into Slytherin. She stared at the ceiling until, "Goyle, Gregory!" was called and again applauded when he was sent to join his friend in Slytherin. Hermione Granger went to Gryffindor and Neville was sent to Gryffindor as well.

She was in a stupor yet again when the call of, "Malfoy, Draco!" Startled her out of it and she watched as Draco strode up to the stool, his nerves hidden under a veneer of seemingly pure arrogance. The hat barely touched his head before the hat bellowed, "SLYTHERIN!" Draco smirked and headed over to sit with Crabbe and Goyle. Merida drifted in and out of focus as sleep tugged at her brain as Potter was put into Gryffindor and she giggled when Ron jumped when the hat had shouted, "HA! Another Weasley… I know just what to do with you, GRYFFINDOR!" Ron had so visibly relaxed it almost looked like he had melted.

Merida waited the only other first year left was called up, "Zabini, Blaise!" Merida watched the boy get sorted into Slytherin, then it was her turn.  
"Zarai, Merida," there was a whoop from the long table second from the left and Merida looked over to stick her tongue out at her brother, earning laughs from his friends. She sat down elegantly on the stool and the hat was placed on her head.

_Ah, a Zarai is it? _A little voice spoke in her head, _you're clever enough to into Ravenclaw with your brother but you possess a cunning that is very Slytherin._

'Could you just put me in Slytherin?' Merida questioned the hat in her head. The hat seemed to be able to read her reasoning as it just said, _Very well then, it's… _"SLYTHERIN!" Merida got up neatly and headed over the table second from the right. She sat down across from Draco and next to who she suspected was the Bloody Baron if her families' stories were anything to go by.

"Evening Baron," She greeted the silvery figure seated next to her who looked at her in mild surprise. "Evening young lady," he answered courteously. Before floating off with an odd expression on his spectral face. Draco gave her a similar look as she piled her plate with salads and a small steak. "What is it?" she asked when she noticed that even the Bookends, as she'd decided to call Crabbe and Goyle, were giving her the same look.  
"How were you okay with sitting next to a ghost? I would have been rather uncomfortable if it was me," Draco asked.  
Merida shrugged, "Just because someone is a ghost doesn't mean they're dead or stop being a person plus they are the best thing to hang around in an Australian summer to keep cool," she explained.

Merida didn't eat as much as the others as she was tired and not hungry, she missed out on dessert as she had fallen asleep at the table. Some of the others were sending her strange looks and one of the older girls went to put ice cream in her hair but was serendipitously stopped by the Bloody Baron passing through her as he went to bother Nearly Headless Nick, or Sir Nickolas if you were being polite.

Merida slept through the Headmaster's speech as well and even though Draco tried to wake her he was unsuccessful in waking the exhausted twelve year old. He looked up as a shadow fell across him, it was a tall man with chin length black hair swept back from an impassive face. He was wearing billowing black robes and a very slight smile graced his thin lips as he spoke in a drawling tone, "You won't be able to wake her, she's dead to the world."

Draco looked up at the older man, "Then what do we do, Sir?" he asked politely, although the boys didn't allow him closer to their sleeping friend. The man allowed himself a half smile, "You'll allow your head of house to deal with the situation," he said smoothly as he stepped forward, his presence alone pushing the other students back.  
The older students that were still at the table fell quiet when they saw him, in fact it seemed like a fair chunk of the people in the hall were curious as to the man's behaviour.

One of the Slytherin prefects nervously stepped up to him as he put his hand on Merida's shoulder, "Professor Snape?" she questioned quietly. The Professor looked to her and instructed her, "Take the other first years down to the dormitories, I'll deal with this one," something tinted his tone that the others had never heard before.

The prefect nodded and gathered the other first years before leading them off, Draco and his two bodyguards hovered uncertainly. Professor Snape ignored them for the most part as he hoisted up the sleeping girl into his arms, an amused smile briefly gracing his face as Merida settled herself against his chest in her sleep. Almost immediately the hall was filled with whispers and a coo or two as none had seen such behaviour from the usually stoic teacher.

Professor Snape, of course, paid no attention to any of this as he swept out of the hall, his cloak billowing out behind him as Draco, Goyle and Crabbe tailed behind him. Draco watched the man carrying his new friend in curiosity. If the reactions of the hall was anything to go by Professor Snape wasn't usually like this, was it just because it was the first day of term?

The Professor led them down to the Slytherin Dormitories which were down in the dungeons and spoke the password to open a door in the wall, "Evgenís." Striding through to the newly existent doorway they discovered most of the Slytherin house waiting for them.

The common room was a cavernous room lit with green lanterns and a weak dancing green light that gave you the impression the rooms were at least partway under the lake. There were plush leather couches scattered about that made you think of a Victorian smoking lounge, the couches were mainly focused around the four massive fireplaces that warmed the stone room.  
"Don't you have better things to be doing?" Professor Snape drawled, smirking to himself as most of the students scattered leaving only the first years, the prefects and some of the braver upper-years.

"Girls dorms are through the double doors on the right and the boy's dorm through the doors on the left, first years on the bottom floor and classes start at nine tomorrow," Professor Snape informed them as the prefects herded the first years in the correct directions. The Professor looked down at Draco who was still hovering uncertainly between heading to his dorms and staying with Merida.

"Go to bed, Malfoy," Snape said kindly, "I'll see Merida safely to bed." Draco nodded and followed the other first year boys out of the green lit common room. Snape carried the still sleeping Merida through to the girl's dorms. Both boy's and girl's dorms were set up in seven layers of rooms centred around a wide stair well. Where the boys shared two to a room and single bathroom, the girls had a slightly smaller room each and a bathroom on each floor.

Snape looked at all the stairs and sighed, Merida was beginning to get rather heavy. Casting a featherweight charm on her Snape carried Merida down to the bottom floor and looked for the door that had Merida's name engraved on the silver plaque mounted on the black wooden doors. He quickly found it and after removing her cloak and boots tucked her into the emerald sheeted four poster canopy bed.

Leaving the room and locking the door behind him Snape sighed to himself before heading back up the stairs and to his own rooms.

**A/N for those who are bothered by how OOC Snape is there is a reason for that which shall be explored later. **


	4. First day

Merida woke up to an enormous pair of green eyes, "Is you awake, Miss?" a small, high voice asked, like what you expect a rabbit to sound like if they spoke English. Merida blinked and sat up, she was still wearing the uniform she had put on last night, looking back to the owner of the big green eyes. It was a house elf, who was dressed in what appeared to be a pillowcase. Merida blinked at it, "Who are you and why are you waking me?" she asked after a few long moments.

"Dobby, Miss, young master sent me to make sure you didn't sleep through breakfast," The small being squeaked in answer, wringing his hands. "Young master?" Merida asked as she got out of bed and looked around the room. It was basically square with the double bed dominating the room where it was pushed up against one wall, the bed was hung with emerald velvet curtains that matched the duvet cover, the rest of the covers in white. A cupboard and desk took up one wall and Merida's trunk was underneath, strangely enough, a window. The floor was covered in a black carpet.

"The young master Malfoy," Dobby explained from where he was standing on the bed. Merida nodded in understanding as she opened her trunk and pulled out Zarola's stand. It had branches of varying width arranged under a big nest of twigs lined with fur and other bits that Zarola had collected. Under the stand was a tray with vanishing runes to deal with all the leftovers that came with a living creature.

"Well you can thank Draco for me," Merida said as she collected her toiletries and laid out today's uniform. She looked at the silver clock on the wall, it was seven. Dobby bowed and disappeared with a crack. Merida sighed and left her room to find the bathroom. Once she found it Merida had a quick shower, wrapping herself in a robe, brushed and put her now white hair up in pigtails she went back to her room to dress for the day.

Merida dressed in a new white dress shirt and vest, her colourless tie had been magically altered to the Slytherin house colours. Today Merida chose to wear black slacks and converse. Strapping her wand holster to her arm today Merida threw her cloak around her shoulders, grabbed her previously packed brown leather satchel, opened her window for Zarola if she could find it and left her room, locking it behind her with the key that had been hanging on the inside of the door.

Making her best guess Merida went up the stairs and exited the girl's dorms through the double doors. She stared around the common room in wonder, having missed it the previous night before and headed over to the noticeboard to get this fortnights' password. Someone cleared their throat behind her and Merida jumped, spinning around to see a rather amused Draco and the bookends, Crabbe and Goyle.

"Morning," he greeted, a smirk twisting his lips. Merida smiled, "Thanks for the house elf alarm clock," she said gratefully, if a tiny bit teasing. Draco's smirk grew and Merida knew ribbing was on its way, it was her own fault for falling asleep at dinner.  
"Just wanted to make sure you wouldn't sleep through breakfast as well," Draco teased. Merida sighed good-naturedly. "Well, shall we go then?" She asked with a huge grin.

It took them ten minutes to get from the dungeons to the great hall, thankfully Goyle had thought to memorise the route they'd need to take. Merida had gotten a couple of strange looks from people and decided to question Draco about it at the breakfast table but before she could do that a pair of arms wrapped around her and lifted her into the air making her squeal.

The laughter coming from the perpetrator clued her to who it was, "Lucas!" she laughed, squirming in her brother's bear hug, "Put me down!" she demanded. Still laughing her brother put her down, "I wanted my morning hug," he explained, a huge grin threatening to split his face.  
"Liar," Merida accused as they entered the great hall, "You just wanted to scare me." Lucas grinned and tugged on one of her pigtails, "Guilty as charged," He laughed and went off to breakfast at the Ravenclaw table.  
"Jerk," Merida fondly cursed him as she went to catch up with Draco, sitting opposite him at the table.

As she sat down and picked out her breakfast she was getting stares from some of the older students at the table, "Do I have something on my face?" she asked Draco worriedly.  
"They're staring because when you fell asleep at the table last night, Professor Snape _carried_ you back to the dorms," He told her, his tone telling her this was an impressive feat, "I asked some of the older students this morning and they said than Professor Snape is more likely to throw you in the lake than carry you to …"  
He cut off when Merida began giggling, the look on his face saying he didn't know how to deal with a giggling girl.

Draco's eyes widened as the topic of their discussion walked along the table handing out class schedules. Merida was still giggling and it only got worse when Professor Snape bopped her on the head with the pile of papers before handing them their schedules. Merida slowly stifled her giggles as she finished her breakfast and studied her class schedule:

Everyday started with breakfast between 7 and 8 am;

Mondays they had Charms first with Professor Flitwick and the Gryffindors between 9 and 10 am, followed by a half hour break then Defence Against the Dark Arts with Professor Riddle for an hour with the Gryffindors again then they had a lunch break until Double Herbology with Professor Sprout for two hours with the Gryffindors yet again then it was free time until supper and then they were expected to be in their common rooms until lights out at 9pm. This pattern was repeated everyday with only a change in the classes.

Tuesday they had History of Magic first with Professor Binns with the Ravenclaws, then Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall and the Hufflepuffs, followed by Double Potions with Professor Snape and the Gryffindors.

Wednesday had them in Defence first with Hufflepuff, then Charms with Ravenclaw and after lunch they had Double Transfiguration with Hufflepuff. The only difference on that day being Astronomy with Professor Sinistra at midnight with Gryffindor.

Thursday they had Double Potions first with Gryffindor with Double Herbology after lunch with Ravenclaw.

Friday found them with Ravenclaw in Herbology first, History of Magic with Gryffindor after break and with Ravenclaw again for Double Defence Against the Dark Arts.

Saturday and Sunday saw them free with meals served at the same time.

Merida checked her watch, saw it was still set for Darwin time and had to ask Draco what the correct time was.  
"It's quarter to nine," He answered her while looking down at his schedule with an expression of disgust on his face. Merida thanked him and reset her watch.

"We should be heading to Charms now if we want to be able to find it in time," Merida said as she got up from the table and hoisted her satchel onto her shoulder. Draco, Crabbe and Goyle got up from the table, Crabbe taking Draco's bag while Draco sneered, "We're stuck with Gryffindor for classes all day," he complained as they headed off to find the Charms room. Merida knew it was on the third floor somewhere so they headed up a stationary flight of stairs.

Merida, using senses honed through years of living with her brother, ducked suddenly allowing a huge red water balloon to sail over her head and hit the Weasley twins. Merida pressed her lips together, hard, as Draco chuckled next to her. Even the usually stoic Crabbe and Goyle allowed themselves a small grin.

The boy that had been walking along with the twins was laughing uproariously as the spectral menace that was Peeves the poltergeist hooted with laughter as he circled over their heads.  
Merida, ever the opportunist, went up the cackling second year, "Um, excuse me, mister..?" Merida didn't know his name and the boy stopped laughing long enough to answer her with, "Call me Lee, what is it?" he still had a huge grin plastered on his face as the twins glared at the two of them.

"I was hoping you could point me to the Charms room? We have that first," Merida had her best 'innocent' face on. Lee nodded and pointed down the hall, "Follow this hall, turn right through the passageway behind the tapestry of a fairy ring and it's the third door to the right on the left side of the hall, Did you get all that?" he asked. Merida nodded with a large smile and thanked him as she led boys down the hallway.

As she left the three second years, Merida caught a glint in the twin's eyes that did not sit well with her. She'd seen that look in her brother's eyes when he was testing a new potion that did Merlin knows what, this did not bode well. "I think I accidentally angered a pair of pranksters," Merida confessed to Draco as Goyle pulled the fairy tapestry aside and they all strode along the passageway.

"What could those muggle loving blood traitors do against a pureblood?" Draco scoffed in response, which was his bigoted way of supporting her in her plight. Merida smiled slightly as Crabbe pulled the tapestry at the other end of the hidden passage aside and they slipped out into the hallway, "Thanks, Draco," she said, gently taking his fingers between hers and giving them a light squeeze.

Merida turned her head as she dropped Draco's hand and was counting the doors on the left hand side of the hall so she missed the blush that coloured Draco's pale cheeks. Picking a door marked 2E Merida strode over and gently opened it, "I think it's this one," She said as she knocked on the door, startling the only occupant. He was a rather small man with black hair cut in a sort of bob and a rather fabulous moustache, his age was rather ambiguous and he wore what seemed to be the wizarding equivalent of a three piece suit.

"Sorry, sir, I was looking for the Charms room, is this it?" Merida asked politely, stepping through the doorway so the other three could come in.  
"Oh! Yes it is, do come in! Class will start in five minutes, five points to Slytherin for being early," The little man rambled as he waved the four of them further into the classroom. "Are you Professor Flitwick?" Draco asked politely, if a little snobbishly. Merida giggled.

"Yes, I am," He answered, smiling at Merida. "Why don't you four pick your seats while we wait to see how long it takes your fellow first years to get here, shall we?" He suggested with an amused look in his eye. Merida looked to the boys to see if they knew where they wanted to sit, Crabbe and Goyle looked to Draco who merely shrugged and responded with, "Ladies first."

Merida huffed in fun before picking seats in the middle row on the left hand side of the room. She pointed to it and Crabbe sidled in before her so they ended up seated with Crabbe and Goyle at both ends and Draco and Merida seated in the middle. However, five minutes later the bell for start of class rang and only a very surprised Neville found his way to the classroom on time, they began to get bored. Draco was rather curious about how the wizarding world worked in Australia and listened intently as Merida explained the basics and how it differed from the U.K. wizarding world. He was fascinated to learn that no Australian born being was without any magic and the term 'muggle' was barely used, in favour of the more accurate 'Wizen' which was used in place of Squib as well.

"So what kind of standing do purebloods have over there?" Draco questioned. Merida smiled at his question, it showing his area of focus.  
"Pureblood families are sort of like a mix between local celebrities and medieval barons as they solve disputes between families that the Ministry can't get involved with but mostly it's all rather relaxed," She explained for the rapt Draco before a scowl crossed his face as his attention was drawn by the door bursting open, the doorway framing a flushed Harry Potter and Ron Weasley. They came in, being trailed by Hermione and a large mix of Slytherins and Gryffindors. All of them managing to be fifteen minutes late.

Hermione slid in next to Neville who looked less than pleased by this which caused Merida to giggle which drew a scowl from Hermione, which caused Draco to snigger and that caused Ron to look across at them and glare.  
Merida, not exactly being mature, stuck her tongue out at the Gryffindor boys. Draco outright laughed as Merida grinned while both boys glared at them.  
Professor Flitwick drew the attention of the class by rapping his wand on the desk he had climbed a pile of books to see over. The class settled quickly and looked to the little Professor.

"Alright, we'll do the roll now, see how many of you are still wandering the corridors," Professor Flitwick announced as he scanned the sheet of parchment before him. He began calling out names and checking them off with his wand before putting the roll down. "So, now that we know all of you are here, we'll begin," he continued as he climbed down from his desk and strode into the space the tiered desks made in the centre of the room.

"Charms require precise wand movements and pronunciation," The Professor started, waving his own wand and sending large, fluffy feathers to each student.  
"The Levitation Charm we'll be starting with has the incantation 'Wingardium Leviosa' and the wand movement is a curved swish upwards followed by a sharp flick towards the object you wish to levitate," Professor Flitwick explained while demonstrating with his own wand. 

Merida finally understood why she couldn't get any of her Charm spells to work when she practised them before coming to school. Focusing intently on her feather Merida copied the Professor as exactly as she could. Her feather, however, stubbornly refused to move.  
"You're holding your wand too tightly, relax your grip slightly," Professor Flitwick's voice suddenly said from in front of her. Merida looked up to see the Professor had walked along a little walkway above the front row desks. She nodded and tried again, relaxing her grip, "Wingardium Leviosa!" she smiled brightly as the feather started floating. A dark grin crossed her face as she used her wand tip to control the feather into tickling Draco's neck.  
She lost control of the spell when Draco jumped and shrieked, clapping a hand to his neck, glaring at Merida who was laughing too hard to breathe.

The class ended with Merida and Draco helping Crabbe and Goyle get the wand movement correct as they had the words right. The boys managed to get the spell working two minutes before the end of class and used the feathers to tickle Merida. The bell that signalled break sounded and Professor Flitwick collected the feathers with a wave of his wand. Merida waited until most of the class had trickled out before catching Neville by the sleeve, "Wait here, we'll got to our next class together," she said kindly, when he nodded Merida left him with Draco and went up to Professor Flitwick.  
"Professor? I was hoping you could tell me how to get to our next class from here," Merida asked him hopefully. The Professor beamed, "I always help those who think far enough ahead to ask," He said before actually answering her, "It's on the same floor so don't take any stairs, it's in classroom 3C and you go right down the hallway, taking the fourth corridor on the left and it's the seventh door on the right." The Professor rattled off the instructions and looked to Merida curiously, "Did you get all that?" he asked curiously.  
Merida nodded and bowed, "I did, thank you professor," she said before going back over to the boys, who seemed to be scaring Neville just by standing there.  
"Okay, I got the directions to the next class, did you boys want to go now or later?" She questioned them. Crabbe and Goyle once again deferring to Draco and Neville looking like he'd agree with anything so long as you didn't yell at him. Draco looked to Merida, "I've got nothing better to do so I guess now but why are we taking Longbottom with us?" Draco asked with a sneer.

"Because his startled rabbit behaviour amuses me," she answered sarcastically as she led the way out of the classroom, bodily dragging Neville along behind her, "I'm helping him because it's easier for people to believe you didn't do it if you have a reputation for being nice, especially when you're in Slytherin," she explained in a way that Draco could understand easily. He nodded as he pondered her words.  
Merida rolled her eyes and looked at the somewhat stunned Neville, "That was the Slytherin way of saying 'I want to be friends' by the way so you can stop looking like I'm about to eat you," she told him in an amused tone. Neville relaxed somewhat and nodded, "Thank you," he said with a small smile.

Merida smiled back and led the small group down the fourth corridor and over to the seventh door on the right, knocking on it before entering slowly into the room. Taking in the rows of desks, the iron chandelier next to the hanging dragon skeleton on the ceiling and the large windows lining one of the walls. There was a spiral staircase in the corner that led up to a small balcony which sat in front of a closed doorway.  
What really caught her attention was the man sitting behind the teacher's desk petting her eagle, who seems to have flown in one of the opened windows.  
The man looked tall, it was hard to tell with him sitting down and was wearing robes similar to Professor Flitwick's. He had neatly groomed straight black hair that that was slightly wavy and came down to just past the tips of his ears. He looked over at them and showed his eyes to be very dark but not black like Merida's.

"Hello, Sir, We have Defence Against the Dark Arts with you next and we thought we'd come early," Merida explained. Zarola, having heard Merida's voice gave an excited call and hopped over to the desk next to her and nip at her wrist until Merida pet her.  
The man watched the antics of the eagle in amusement, "Yes, I'm Professor Riddle and I assume the eagle is yours?" he asked with a smile as Zarola chirruped and nuzzled Merida.

Merida nodded. "Yes, Zarola is my familiar, pleasure to meet you Professor, I'm Merida Zarai," Merida introduced with a bow.  
Professor Riddle bowed his head in response, "and your companions?" he asked as he looked to the boys.  
"Draco Malfoy, the one on the left is Gregory Goyle and the one on the right is Vincent Crabbe," Draco said and the boys nodded in turn as their names were said.

"And the little Gryffindor hiding behind you?" Professor Riddle asked Merida who pushed Neville out in front to introduce himself to the teacher. "Neville Longbottom," he managed to shyly get out. Merida beamed at him encouragingly and Neville smiled at her before adding a little more bravely, "Nice to meet you."  
The Professor smiled at Neville before marking the five off his roll and suggesting, "Why don't you find your seats and talk amongst yourselves until break is over?" he smiled as Zarola hopped back onto his desk and begged for attention.

The desks were set up in rows of three with a pathway down the centre of the classroom. Merida chose the seats again, the boys just leaving it to her now, she rolled her eyes and picked the row of desks two back from the front for Draco, Crabbe and Goyle. She and Neville sat in the row in front of them and turned their chairs around to easier talk to the three.

"So, it was politics before, what should we discuss this time?" Merida asked with a grin. "How about what our parents do?" Draco immediately suggested, the subject once again appealing to his personal views. Merida sighed good-naturedly before agreeing, "Okay, you go first," she suggested. Draco's smug smile informed her that Draco was quite proud of his parents, "My father works in the Ministry and is one of the Twelve Governors of Hogwarts," he announced quite happily, if a bit obnoxiously. Merida tilted her head, "And your mother?" she asked. Draco scoffed slightly, "Mother doesn't need to work she runs the household while Father is away," Merida put her hands up in mock surrender at Draco's fierce love for his family.

"Take a chill pill, I was just asking," She teased before speaking over him to Goyle, "What do your parents do?" she asked with a grin. Goyle smiled and answered as simply as possible, "Dad's a Curse breaker for Gringotts and Mum looks after the house." Merida nodded and looked expectantly at Crabbe who answered in much the same manner as Goyle, short and to the point, "Dad brews firewhisky, Mum helps."

Merida nodded and turned to Neville seated next to her, who squeaked when he realized it was his turn, "My parents are Aurors," was his soft but audible reply.  
The boys all looked to Merida now as it was her turn, she grinned, "My Dad's a Wrangler, which means he keeps all manner of dangerous magical beasties away from the public, and my Mum is a journalist, which means she travels all over and writes about her adventures for the newspaper she works for," she told them with proud smile.

"Do you miss your Mum while she's travelling?" Neville asked nervously, afraid of upsetting his new friend. Merida smiled at him comfortingly before answering, "She always made sure to time her holidays to match up with school holidays and I got to spend my evenings with my dad and my Aunty Marigold was always visiting, I guess I did miss her a bit but she always came back with the best stories," she explained to her friends.

Merida was about to ask if Crabbe missed his dad when he was away working for Gringotts when she was cut off by Hermione coming into the classroom, rather obnoxiously talking over her shoulder at an annoyed looking Seamus Finnigan. Merida waved at him, "You can sit over here Seamus, there's a spare seat," she called to him, who came over looking rather relieved.

"I made the mistake of asking her if she knew where the class was, we wandered around for ages before Sir Nick told us where to go," he admitted quietly as he sat down gratefully. Merida looked over to where Hermione was hovering uncertainly by the door, "You could sit in the row in front of us," she suggested helpfully. Hermione looked around the room one more time before sitting where Merida had suggested.

The bell for the end of break and the start of class sounded and Professor Riddle rose from his desk, where he had quite happily been petting Zarola for the past fifteen minutes and released the eagle out of the classroom window, Merida calling after her to find her dorm room.


	5. Relations and Relevations

This time it only took ten minutes for everyone to find their way to class. They spent the class going over the creatures they'd be studying, what spells they'd be learning and spending the last half of the class practising the wand-lighting charm 'Lumos' which Merida ended up nearly being blinded by Neville when he finally got the spell to work.  
Neville had freaked out and apologized nearly constantly while Merida calmed him down, assuring him it was fine.

Merida was still seeing spots as they walked down to lunch after class and was so distracted by stopping Draco picking on Neville for nearly blinding her that she almost missed it. The twin shocks of flaming red hair heading towards her. She blinked and focused on them, seeing one of the twins drawing their wand slyly and directing at her. "Down, now!" she warned the boys as one of the twins shot a spell at them. Merida dragged Draco down with her as she ducked the jet of light which hit Crabbe, turning his short black hair rainbow coloured and bushy. Merida giggled as Neville helped her up off the floor, Goyle pulling Draco up. "You look like a clown, Vincent," she sniggered, "Did you want to go to the Hospital wing to get it turned back or ask Lucas to do it?" Crabbe looked to Draco once again for direction. Draco turned to Merida, "What's the difference?" he asked. Merida sighed, "Well Lucas will probably laugh for about five minutes before even bothering to consider helping and I'd only be able to find him in the Great Hall, the Hospital wing is more private," She explained, admitting to her brother's tendencies to be a jerk. Draco looked to Crabbe, "It's your decision," he told his colourful friend.

Crabbe decided, "Hospital wing," he said finally. Merida nodded and stood on tip toe to reach behind the taller boy, pulling the hood of his cloak over his hair. "That should do until we get there," Merida looked around and realised everyone had already gone down for lunch, spying one of the paintings on the wall she went over to it, "you wouldn't happen to know the way to the Hospital wing, would you?" she asked the middle aged witch in the painting.  
"I know it's on the second floor," was the answer. 'It's a start.' Merida thought as they went in search of someone to help Crabbe.

They'd managed to find the Hospital wing, get Crabbe's hair turned back and make it down to lunch before half an hour had passed. Neville waved goodbye before heading over to the Gryffindor table as the other four headed to their own table. "Great, I'm starved," Merida announced happily before serving herself a lasagne slice and some roasted potatoes. Draco rolled his eyes before asking, suspicion colouring his tone, "How do you know you're about to get pranked? You have a great ability to sense it coming."

Merida considered his question as she finished the bite of potato she had just taken and swallowed before answering, "Twelve years of living with my brother Lucas, he has a real gift for pranks and I've learnt to sense them coming… bastard still manages to get me occasionally," she added, mostly to herself. Merida finished a potato before asking Crabbe, "So… did you want to get the weasel twins back or ignore them?" a devious grin on her face. Again he looked to Draco for guidance, Merida just knew she had to get the full story out of the boys for this behaviour when Draco answered for him, "Ignore them for now but if they do anything else we're getting even."

Merida nodded in acceptance even though she was a little disappointed and finished her lunch while mentally plotting everything she'd put the twins through if they tried anything again. She was drawn out of her scheming when someone asked in amusement, "and which poor soul's unfortunate fate are you plotting now?" Merida looked up to see Professor Snape standing next to her, an amused smile on his face as he looked down at her.  
Merida grinned back, unrepentant, "The weasel twins," she answered cheekily as she stood up on the bench so she was eye level with the Professor.

Their interaction had gained the attention of the entire hall, including the other Professors. Snape ignored them in favour of the first year standing in front of him, who's white hair was now black to match his own, "Ah, then by all means, plot away," was his indifferent reply but you could hear the bemusement in his voice if you listened for it.  
Merida beamed and lunged forward to hug Snape, who caught her in a hug of his own. You could hear a pin drop.

Merida laughed, "Oh, I missed you, Uncle Sev!" She grinned as the man spun her around once before putting her down. He looked down at the grinning child in front of him and drawled, "Now that you have thoroughly shattered my reputation at the school, I'm going to have lunch, enjoy Herbology later," he swept off up to the high table, where it seems only Dumbledore wasn't stunned.

Merida smiled and sat back down at the table to finish her lunch, giggling at the surprised look still on Draco's face which snapped him out of it. "Professor Snape is your Uncle?" he asked, shock colouring his tone. Merida ignored the hubbub of the rest of the hall as she answered him, "Yeah, if you want to get technical we're second cousins but my Grandma adopted him when he was seven and my mum was the same age so they came to Hogwarts together," Merida gave a cheeky grin at the eavesdropping Slytherins around them, "but he's only that nice to me and Mum," she added, sticking her tongue out at them.

Draco just shook his head in a daze as he tried to process his new friend was his favourite Professor's niece. It explained his behaviour towards her when she fell asleep at the table. Draco scanned the faces in the hall as this new piece of information made the rounds. The most popular reaction seemed to be shock, mostly that the usually stoic Professor had not only _smiled_ but also_ hugged someone back_ because he actually had family, most people seemed to have written him off as a loner.

Draco jumped when a drop of water hit his cheek and he returned his gaze to Merida who was now dripping wet. "What happened?" he asked in confusion. Merida turned her head to glare at the Gryffindor table where four people were hooting with laughter, the Weasley twins and their younger brother and his friend, the Granger girl had a smirk on her face that he didn't like. He was brought out of his world of indignation for his friend when she practically hissed, "It is _so_ on and they're going down!"

After Slytherin's girl prefect, who introduced herself as Vivian Wright, performed a drying charm over Merida, Merida got up from the table and headed across the Great Hall to the Ravenclaw's table. Draco followed her, Crabbe and Goyle staying behind to finish eating. She sought out a tall seventh year who had chin length wavy black hair, black eyes like Merida, broad shoulders and muscles that were visible even under his uniform. Draco was somewhat intimidated but hid it under a mask of indifference and boredom. Merida, however, went right up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck in a hug. She had to stand on tip-toe just to reach. "Hey, Brother Dearest," she crooned in greeting as most of Ravenclaw stared openly at them. He turned to her with a smirk, "Hey, Sister shrimpy, I see you've outed Uncle Sev to the rest of the school," he responded with a flat tone.

Merida huffed but didn't let go as she shot back, "You're just jealous that he likes me better," she finished by sticking her tongue out. Her brother barely batted an eyelid as he quipped back, "He likes my potions skills better than yours." Merida tugged on a lock of his hair, "I'm only twelve, old man," she said with a smirk, "but it's true and I've come seeking your superior potion skills." She stepped back and met his curios gaze with an evil grin, mischief sparkling in her eyes and Draco was really glad that look wasn't aimed at him. "There are games afoot," Merida said, her voice perfectly mimicking an older British man's voice.

Lucas's face lit up with the same mischievous glee that was in Merida's eyes as he asked back with the same accent, "and who are the players?" He had twisted around on his bench so he was facing her and his back was to the table. The whole of the Ravenclaw table was tense as they understood what was going on as most had read some of the tales of Sherlock Holmes, Lucas was the best prankster the school had ever seen and no one wanted to be his target, they all visibly relaxed when Merida answered with, "Two lions and two cubs."  
The lion meant Gryffindors, cubs meant first years and lion was for upper years.

Lucas nodded, "Their crimes?" he asked seriously. "Spell and dash clown hair transfiguration, coloured rainbow and water balloon after that failed, _from behind_," she added with a sneer as if that worsened the offence. Lucas's eyes had narrowed as well, "Cheap shot, what have you got planned for them?" he asked darkly and the Ravenclaws were once again grateful they weren't the intended target.

"Poetic dissention," was her finalistic reply. It was a potion that caused two people to stop being able to function together and everything they said rhymed. The closer the bond between the targets the worse the dysfunction would be. Lucas smiled evilly, "Perfect," he practically purred as he pulled a small wooden chest from his pocket that didn't look like it should have fit and opened it, rummaging around he gave a small cry of triumph as he pulled out a translucent black orb about the size of a ping pong ball. He handed it over to Merida who carefully looked at it, the inside of it was filled with a viscous liquid that glistened with hidden colours like an oil slick.

Merida nodded, "Thanks, Lucas," she said as she slipped the orb into her pocket and walked over to Draco who was waiting just a little away from the table with Crabbe and Goyle, who had come over once they finished eating. "What was that about?" Draco asked, tilting his head to the side slightly. Merida grinned, "That was me getting supplies for revenge," she answered as they walked out of the great hall and quite fortuitously spotted the twins off to one side of the entrance hall. Merida's grin grew feral as she pulled the orb from her pocket and hurled it with deadly accuracy and speed at the floor between the twins. The orb exploded with a muffled crack and black fog engulfed the twins instantly, sparkled of every colour danced in the thick black cloud.

Merida turned to the boys who were staring at the smog, "Let's go then shall we?" she asked smoothly. They nodded and followed Merida out of the entrance hall and onto the lawn. It took a couple of minutes for Merida to feel it but it was definitely much colder outside of the castle, "Holy cow! It's cold out here!" she exclaimed as she drew her cloak tighter around her. Draco looked at her in confusion, "It's only fall and it's not that cold," he said slowly, as if to make sure she was aware of that.

Merida pulled a thin silver scarf from her bag and put it on, "It only gets this cold in the middle of winter in Darwin," she explained as she adjusted to the cold, "I guess I'll just have to get used to it." Draco looked at her incredulously as they moved off to find the greenhouse they'd be having Herbology in. It should be somewhere off to the right of the entrance hall doors on the opposite side of the castle to Hogsmede station.

Draco finally broke the silence they'd been walking in, "Why isn't it as cold where you're from?" he asked, practically blurting it out, which seemed to make him blush. Merida giggled and the tension she hadn't known was there melted out of Draco's stance, "I live in the Northern Territory of Australia, quite north in its capitol, Darwin, which is rather close to the Equator and is a Tropical environment so it really only has two seasons; Dry and Rainy." She explained as they walked. "Generally it only gets to around 9 degrees Celsius at the coldest in winter, it can get colder in other parts of Australia, like at night in the desert or the Alps in winter which is one of the only places you can get snow in Australia," she continued, giggling a little when she watched all three of the boys faces. Their faces were an interesting mix of curiosity and surprise.

They found Greenhouse one, where they'd be having classes and found that there was still twenty minutes left of lunch break. Merida sat down unceremoniously on the grass, making sure her water proofed cloak was underneath her. Draco stared at her for a minute before shrugging when she grinned at him and adjusted her cloak about her so it would keep her warm, pulling her hood over her head. He sighed before sitting down with more grace, Crabbe and Goyle following his lead.

"You guys want to listen to some music?" Merida asked as she rummaged in a side pocket of her satchel, her arm going in further than it rightly seemed it should. "How?" Draco asked, slightly exasperated, Merida just kept doing things that puzzled him. Merida gave a triumphant noise as she pulled out what looked to be an odd pair of silver earmuffs stuck into the top of a stout black box with two circles of silver mesh inlaid on the side. "With my portable music player," she said, obviously meaning the strange device she had just produced.

"Your what?" Draco asked, seemingly meeting his limit of strangeness for one day. Merida touched a rune on top of the black box and music burst from the box. Merida tapped another rune and the volume lowered until it was pleasant background noise. "My music player, I call it Pip, my brother designed it to work like 'Muggle' Ipods."

Draco furrowed his brow in confusion, "What's an Ipod?" Merida grinned at him, "It's a device about the size of your hand that holds lots of music and plays it for you through attachable listening doodads," Merida explained the best she could to the sheltered pureblood.  
Draco nodded as he processed the new information, his face got a little pout on it when he thought of something which Merida thought was adorable. "Why do you call the thing 'Pip'?" he asked, his tone slow and uncertain. "Favourite travelling companion," Merida answered, her eyes sparkling with mirth at some joke only she understood.

They sat for a little while in silence, listening to the music Pip was playing, Merida sort of moving to the music where she sat. Her actions seemed to bemuse Draco as he asked, "Has anyone ever told you that you're strange?" Merida smiled sweetly as she answered, "They never really stop." Draco didn't have a problem believing that. Merida decided now was a fine time to ask, "So why do Vincent and Gregory follow you around?" she flicked her gaze to the other boys, Goyle was inspecting her Pip but was wise enough not to touch, "Or would you two rather tell me yourselves?" she asked as they looked at each other before shaking their heads and once again allowing Draco to be their mouthpiece, "Our fathers were friends in school so we were always around each other, I understood that they preferred not to talk if they didn't have to but others picked on them, thinking them stupid so I started speaking for them. I protect them from verbal bullying and they protect me from the jerks who respond with violence… it's a symbiotic friendship," Draco answered at length.

Merida nodded in understanding, "That's fair enough, I used to do that for Clover, she was always so quiet that others teased her for it so I'd speak for her and defend her and she'd always protect me from anything physical; she felt she had to because she was always bigger than me…" Merida trailed off as she felt something wet slide down her cheek. She wiped the tear away in surprise, she hadn't cried over Clover in ages. Draco looked uncomfortable but asked anyway, "Are you okay? Who is Clover?" Merida knew he asked out of concern so she wasn't too upset by his questioning, "Clover was my twin sister, she was the older twin and healthier too as she was the image I reflected," at Crabbe's curious look she explained, "I'm a mirror twin, which means all my internal organs are the other way around."  
They managed to look both interested and stunned at the same time, it was an amusing look which allowed Merida to smile softly before she continued, "I lost her and my Uncle when I was five to an Acromantula attack, it had gone insane and was attacking everything, My Aunt got me away but it got both Clover and Uncle Damian… My dad killed it before it could eat them but it was too late for them," Merida's voice had gotten softer as her story unfolded but held steady.

Draco put his hand on her forearm, "We're sorry," he said gently. Merida smiled, "It's okay, you didn't know," she said but still leant over to rest her head on his shoulder momentarily, "but thank you." She checked her watch as she sat up and exclaimed when she saw it was nearly time for class. She packed up Pip, putting it back into the pocket she'd pulled it out of. "Come on, Class will be starting soon," she said as she stood up and brushed her clothes down. She held her hand out and hauled Draco to his feet with a strength that surprised him. "You're rather keen on classes," Draco said, in an accusing, teasing manner. Merida grinned at him, dropping his hand, "You can't get anywhere without good grades from the get-go," She smiled at him as they trailed over to the greenhouse doors, "Besides, it's not like you're stupid or a slacker; you're really quite clever." She complimented. It seemed Draco really wasn't used to positive comments from people as he blushed slightly under her praise.

She heard someone call her name from behind her and turned to see who it was, waving when she saw Ronald and his friend Harry. However she wasn't used to the somewhat soggy ground and she tripped, crashing into Draco. His arms went around her reflexively as he was steadied in turn by Goyle. "Sorry," Merida said quickly, her cheeks flushed pink. Draco was rather red in the face himself. They were about to move apart after the rather clichéd display of klutziness when Ronald blustered over to them and shouted rather obnoxiously, "Get your hands off my cousin you slimy git!"

Draco moved, letting go of Merida in the process, still blushing after realising how long he'd been holding her and was about to say something scathing when Merida cut him off, "How kind of you to defend my honour dear distant cousin Ronald," she gushed, going over to him and making him blush as she hooked her arm through his. She looked over at Harry who was smirking at Draco, Crabbe and Goyle, who he had not noticed seemed to be waiting for something. Harry jumped when Merida took his hand and was dumbfounded when she had the strength to pull him against her. Now it was his turn to blush but the colour quickly drained from both their faces as Merida hissed sweetly, "If either of you overreact like that or draw even more attention to such an embarrassing display ever again you will not like the consequences." She threatened them before pushing them away from her so hard that they landed on the ground. She ignored them as she sashayed over to the waiting Slytherin boys calling out, "Yoohoo! Neville! Come sit with us!" as she walked into the greenhouse, side by side with Draco, who turned to smile smugly at them as they still sat stunned on the ground.

"I think she's almost as scary as my mum," Ron said as he picked himself up off the ground. Harry stood up as well, "My dad and uncles warned me about things like that, their favourite saying is 'girls fight dirty' I don't think I ever want to find out how Merida Zarai fights dirty," He told his ginger friend. Ron suddenly froze, "Zarai… Fred and George are always complaining about how a Lucas Zarai always out pranks them… do don't think they're related, do you?" he asked worriedly as they walked into class.  
"He's my overprotective big brother," said Merida's voice from behind them. They whirled around to see her smirking behind them, "I thought the weasel twins were Fred and George, Lucas is always complaining about how these annoying lower years keep bugging him to teach them to prank better, I bet none of them made the family connection, he always was a bit airheaded." She continued, heading past them, squirting them with a spray of mist from a squirt bottle as she went by.

They watched her walk over to a group of five boys; Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, Neville and Seamus. After they sat down around one of the planter boxes they were quickly joined by Dean. Harry and Ron sat down at a purely Gryffindor planter box, with the only other person they knew by name being Hermione, who was loudly wondering what they'd be learning today. Ron sighed at the thought of being with her for two hours when Harry said, "It's barely been a day and somehow she's corrupted three of the Gryffindor boys."  
Ron looked over at them and saw Merida easing the tensions between the sets of rival houses by changing her hair colour and initiating conversations between the groups. "Perhaps she knows some more advanced spells or potions," Hermione's know it all voice interjected, the two boys turned to look at her, "How?" Harry asked pointedly.

"Well," Hermione started, a superior tone to her voice, "The rumour is that Professor Snape is her uncle, maybe he taught," she was cut off by Harry yelping, (possibly a bit too loudly) "Professor _Snivelus_ is her uncle?!" There was a silence following his exclamation that told him that everyone had heard him. There was also a shiver running along his spine that warned him that he'd stepped in it. His fears were confirmed two seconds later when Merida's voice came from behind him, only it was frosted over, "_What did you just say?_" she asked. Against every instinct he had, Harry turned to look at her, she was giving him a glare that would have made Medusa proud and her hair had turned a deep and angry red. "Don't you _ever_ call my uncle that again," she all but growled at him, her voice seemed to be layered with another deeper and more threatening voice but that could have just been Harry's imagination, like how the room seemed to be darkening and the temperature dropping.

Suddenly the room seemed to brighten again as Merida whirled around and stalked back to her seat. Harry watched in stunned silence as Merida was questioned by her group and her red hair faded to pink as they talked. It annoyed him that he'd upset her while Malfoy could make her laugh or smile, Ron doing no better. "Well, I guess that means the rumour is true and Professor _Snape_ is her uncle," Someone at the group said, emphasising the Professor's proper name, probably to avoid Merida's death glare of ultimate doom. Ron was sitting there, kind of pale so Harry shook his shoulder, "You right mate?" he asked. Ron just stammered, "She scarier than my mum," which was all Harry could get out of his friend.


End file.
